Sacraments

Here you can learn about our parish, join our family of faith, and get to know the members of our team so you can get the help you need to enrich your faith.

Overview

In our Catholic faith, the sacraments are visible signs of God’s invisible power and grace. Grace is the unseen but profoundly felt, life-changing power of God. It is the free and loving gift by which He offers all people a share in His life, and shows us His favor and will for our salvation. Even our ability to respond to the grace of God with our free will is itself also a product of God’s work in us. Our response to that Grace is the way we can imitate Christ in our daily lives so as to grow in goodness and love therefore becoming more like Him everyday.

Feel free to check out each of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church as featured below. You’ll notice that each of them has its own steps or requirements depending on the Sacrament. Please know that these steps are by no means obstacles or meaningless barriers to exclude. Instead they are there because each of the seven sacraments is a beautiful and powerful moment of grace. Therefore, each sacrament should be received openly with appropriate knowledge and preparation to honor God with great dignity and also for your sake that you might get the most out of them by truly receiving them with an open and prepared heart.

Baptism

By Baptism we enter into the journey of salvation and become members of the Church, the Body of Christ.

What is Baptism?

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.

How to Obtain a Baptism

Baptisms for ages 6 & under: Baptisms can be scheduled only after the completion of classes, and the submission of all needed documents to the parish office. Godparents must be living in accordance with the Catholic Faith.

Instructions to Register for this Sacrament:

To register for this Sacrament please email Deacon Tim at tim_mccarthy@att.net or call him at 210-861-2638.

Confirmation

In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is “sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ.

What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?

Confirmation: It strengthens the grace of Baptism and commits the baptized to become witnesses of Christ by word and deed and to spread and defend the faith. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the baptized continue on the path of initiation and are perfectly bond to the Church.

How to Obtain the Sacrament of Confirmation

Confirmation is an amazing sacrament. The following guidelines and requirements have been set by the church as a whole to help prepare fully for this sacrament. Confirmation Candidates are expected to meet prior to receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Youth, please take some time to discuss each aspect of the requirement with your parents to ensure that you are well versed on each. It is ultimately your responsibility to meet or exceed these requirements to be truly ready to receive the sacrament.

Necessary Requirements

Mass: It is both essential and required to participate in weekly Mass and Holy Days of Obligation. Confirmation candidates must participate in a 2-Year process of Religious Education (Life Teen) with good attendance.

Baptismal Certificate: Please provide an original certificate of Baptism.

Sponsor: Prayerfully consider and choose a Sponsor(s) who is a good role model in their Catholic faith and provide a sealed Sponsor Form.

Saint Name: Prayerfully discern a Saint to model after and know their history, your confirmation name will be given to you after the Saint of your choice.

Eucharist

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.'” – John 6:35

What is the Eucharist?

The Eucharist: The Lord Jesus Christ himself is contained, offered, and received continually by the Church and lived fully and grows as it commemorates the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord. All other sacraments and the ecclesial work of the Church is geared towards the Eucharist and ordered to it.

How to Obtain the Sacrament of First Communion

The Eucharist is the Holy of Holies where by we meet Jesus himself in Flesh and Blood through a process called Transubstantiation. During the Mass we ask God to transform bread and wine into the actual physical presence of our Lord. Every Mass God grants this request by his power because He wills that every man and woman receive His Body and Blood for without it “there is no life in him”. However, we must be ready to receive our Lord as it is a great gift to be able to receive Him and be in communion with Him at all. Therefore, every young child must go through a process of preparation to receive our Lord for the first time. This preparation helps us to become ready to understand how to receive Him in the Mass.

Necessary Requirements

For Baptized children under 7:

- 2 years preparation for First Communion beginning in the 1st grade.

- Sacrament received in the 2nd grade

- Parent and student participation at meetings and retreat

- It is important that both child and parent have good attendance in class and at Mass. These classes after all show us how to meet God himself in the Mass.

-Student’s are allowed only 3 absences.

RCIA adapted process (after 7 years old):

- This process is for children age 7 and older who are not baptized and also for baptized children in 2nd grade or above who have not received First Communion and/or have not received their first year preparation for First Communion.

- A parent must also attend RCIA for adults.

- It is important that both child and parent have good attendance in class and at Mass. These classes after all show us how to meet God himself in the Mass.

- Student’s are allowed only 3 absences.

Instructions to Register for this Sacrament:

To register for this Sacrament please click the button to the right and fill out the form as well as submit payment as necessary. Financial assistance is available.

Penance

Penance is an experience of the gift of God’s boundless mercy. Through the Sacrament of Penance we are forgiven and restored in our relationship with God and with ourselves.

What is the Sacrament of Penance?

Penance: The faithful confess their sins to a legitimate minister (priest), are sorry for them with a firm intention to reform themselves and live by the grace of God, as they receive absolution and forgiveness for the sins through which they have wounded the Church.

We recommend going through a brief but essential Examination of Conscience. An examination of conscience is when a person examines their interior conscience and their mind for sins that they have committed or good things they have failed to do using the 10 commandments as a moral guide. We recommend avoiding lax attitudes (when one thinks is lazy in the spiritual life and thinks few things if anything is a sin) or scrupulous attitudes (when one is nit-picky or thinks everything is a sin) in the spiritual life. Usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle but simply examine your conscience with as much genuine honesty as possible in preparation for the sacrament. Perfection is not necessary only authenticity. Remember, in the end God loves you and He is happy you have come to offer him your sins and will only give you love and grace in return for your repentance.

Only that you be truly sorry for your sins and willing to make amends and live a changed life in Christ by the grace of God. There is no degree of sorrow that is necessary only that there be genuine desire to repent and amend one’s life.

Anointing of the Sick

Jesus came to heal the whole person, body and soul.

What is the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?

Anointing of the Sick: Through the Anointing of the sick, the Church commends the faithful who are gravely ill to the suffering and glorified Lord in order that he relieve and save them. This is conferred by anointing them with oil of the sick.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

In case of grave illness . . .

1514 The Anointing of the Sick “is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as any one of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.” 129

1515 If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced.

” . . . let him call for the presbyters of the Church”

1516 Only priests (bishops and presbyters) are ministers of the Anointing of the Sick. 130 It is the duty of pastors to instruct the faithful on the benefits of this sacrament. The faithful should encourage the sick to call for a priest to receive this sacrament. The sick should prepare themselves to receive it with good dispositions, assisted by their pastor and the whole ecclesial community, which is invited to surround the sick in a special way through their prayers and fraternal attention.

How to Obtain the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

To obtain this Sacrament please plan ahead and call the Pastor Fr. Rodolfo or Parochial Vicar Fr. Praveen so that they can offer this beautiful sacrament of healing to your loved one. However, it is so important to call as soon as you believe a loved one is sick or in the Hospital rather than at the last minute. It would be heartbreaking to be in a situation where travel time or any other factor impedes a priest from reaching your loved one in time.

Marriage

The Sacrament of Marriage is both a liturgical act and a covenant. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God.

What is the Sacrament of Marriage?

Marriage: It is through marriage, a baptized man and a baptized woman establish a covenant of relationship between them, a partnership for the whole of life, which is aimed by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children.

How to Obtain the Sacrament of Marriage

We want your marriage to be as fruitful as possible. For that reason, the Church asks that engaged couples truly prepare for this sacrament by partnering with their parish for guidance, learning materials, courses, as well as the spiritual enrichment that comes with retreats and mentorship with other more experienced couples. These tools will help new couples navigate many topics that are highly pertinent to marriage such as spiritual enrichment, conflict resolution, family planning techniques, and many other topics that will help to empower and strengthen your relationship with your partner in marriage.

Necessary Requirements

The following requirements for Marriage or convalidation will be required at Prince of Peace:

Sacraments- Certificate for Baptism, & Confirmation will be requested (original updated copy) and kept on file at Prince of Peace.

Prenuptial Questionnaire to be filled out.

Copy of Divorce Decree (Only if previously married)

We have a Survey provided by Fully Engage required by Prince of Peace which mentors are assigned to have couple discuss differences in answers. Fully Engaged seeks to ensure that the couple continues to grow in the Sacrament of Marriage during their time of preparation and beyond..

Once the survey is received back to Prince of Peace, a mentor is assigned to meet 3 to 4 times with you. Meetings will be scheduled at times that are convenient for you. The charge for the survey is $25.00 for both.

Looking to enter into a New Marriage? Check if you need an Annulment.

How to Check!

Please use our interactive Case Type Explorer for help deciding what type of case or forms you will need. This is a PDF document, do not scroll using your keyboard or mouse while viewing the document. It is best to view this document on a computer or laptop.

Please note that it does not work very well on mobile devices, especially Android phones. If using an iPhone or other Apple device, use seems to be easier when using iBooks.

Fees

The fee for a formal case is $450. It is not our wish to impose financial hardship on anyone or give the impression that a declaration of nullity can be bought. On the contrary, we will be sensitive to your financial situation and no one will ever be refused a declaration of nullity because of an inability to pay. If you need to make payment arrangements, please contact our office. Most are unaware that it costs the Archdiocese of San Antonio well over $1,000 to process each marriage nullity case. Thanks to the generosity of the Catholic parishioners of San Antonio, the Archdiocese is able to bear most of this expense. Still, it is only fair that those who request our services make an appropriate contribution and share the cost.

Check if you need an Annulment.

Holy Orders

Ordination to the priesthood is always a call and a gift from God. Those who seek priesthood respond generously to God's call using the words of the prophet, "Here I am, send me" (Is 6:8).

What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Holy Orders: It is a divine institution through which some of the Christian faithful are marked with an indelible character and ordained as sacred ministers through the Ordination, and serve the People of God, each according to one’s grade with a new and specific role.

How to Obtain the Sacrament of Holy Orders

If you or anyone you know is discerning a vocation, know that the Holy Spirit will always guide you on the correct path. We recommend making an appointment with Father Rodolfo or Father Praveen to discuss your situation and offer guidance here at Prince of Peace. In addition, you can also contact Father Jonathan Felux, Director of Vocations and Seminarians for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, at 210-735-0553 or visit their website for more information at www.archsa.org/vocation

Prayer to Know One’s Vocation

Lord, my God and my loving Father,

You have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you, and thereby to find and to fulfill my deepest longings. I know that you are in all things, and that every path can lead me to you.

But of them all, there is one especially by which you want me to come to you. Since I will do what you want of me, I pray you, send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind, to show me what you want of me; into my heart, to give me the determination to do it, and to do it with all my love, with all my mind, and with all of my strength right to the end. Jesus, I trust in you.